The St. Louis Cardinals have officially welcomed pitcher Matt Pushard back to the active roster after reinstating him from the injured list on Saturday. The move comes after the right-hander spent nearly two months recovering from a knee issue that sidelined him early in the season.
According to reports from Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, Pushard had been dealing with right knee tendinitis since the end of March. The injury forced the Cardinals to place him on the injured list shortly after the season began, temporarily delaying his opportunity to establish himself at the major league level.
Before returning to the active roster, Pushard completed an extended rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis. During his time there, he appeared in 11 games and showed encouraging progress as he worked his way back into form. Across 12.2 innings pitched, he posted a 3.55 ERA while recording 10 strikeouts. He also finished with a 1.42 WHIP, numbers that demonstrated steady improvement and enough consistency for the organization to feel comfortable activating him.
The Cardinals selected Pushard in the Rule 5 Draft, which means the organization has a vested interest in keeping him on the major league roster moving forward. Rule 5 picks often receive additional opportunities because teams must keep them on the active roster or risk losing them back to their previous organization. Now healthy again, Pushard is expected to remain in St. Louis’ bullpen and contribute primarily in a middle-relief role.
His return gives the Cardinals another bullpen option at a time when pitching depth continues to be important throughout the long MLB season. The team has shuffled relievers throughout the year due to injuries and performance concerns, so adding a healthy arm back into the mix could provide some needed stability. Pushard’s ability to cover multiple innings and keep games under control in middle relief situations may help ease pressure on the rest of the bullpen.
While Pushard may not yet be a household name, the Cardinals clearly believe he has enough upside to warrant keeping him on the major league roster. His rehab outings with Memphis showed flashes of effectiveness, particularly his ability to miss bats and generate strikeouts. As he gains more experience and continues adjusting to major league competition, the organization will likely hope he develops into a dependable bullpen contributor.
To make room for Pushard on the roster, the Cardinals designated left-handed pitcher Jared Shuster for assignment. The move marks another difficult turn for Shuster, who has experienced an up-and-down season with the organization. Being designated for assignment means the Cardinals will now have to decide whether to trade him, release him, or attempt to pass him through waivers and keep him in the minor league system.
The transaction highlights the constant movement teams often make with bullpen pieces during the season as clubs search for the right combination of healthy and productive arms. For the Cardinals, activating Pushard represents both the return of a healthy pitcher and another opportunity to evaluate a player they invested in during the Rule 5 process.
Now back on the active roster, Pushard will aim to prove he can become a reliable option for St. Louis moving forward while continuing his recovery from the knee injury that interrupted the start of his season.
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